New county High Sheriff named
Brimpton man Charles Brims says he wants to focus on the problem of re-offending
BERKSHIRE will have a new High Sherrif next year – Charles Brims, of Brimpton.
Businessman Mr Brims, who is the chairman of the parish council, a non-executive director of the Newbury News Ltd and a director trustee of the Greenham Common Trust, said that he planned to use his 12-month term of office as a “voyage of discovery” which would help him tackle the problem of the high number of prisoners who re-offend.
The office of High Sherrif – formerly Shire Reeve – is an ancient one that predates the Norman conquest of Britain. The holder was the Crown's principal representative in the shire or county, responsible for raising taxes and ensuring the sovereign's peace was kept and were thus very powerful.
Their powers were gradually restricted over succeeding centuries, but Mr Brims said: “The office still has connections with the process of justice, the courts, police and prisons.
“I want to focus on the problem of re-offending. At the moment, 60 per cent of prisoners are caught re-offending within two years of their release from custody.
This is a terrible statistic and is obviously very unsatisfactory.
It also represents a great social and financial cost for all involved.
I plan to use my year as a voyage of discovery to see what is going on in Berkshire.
“I want to talk to as many people as possible, including ex-prisoners, to understand why this happens; and to see what people in Berkshire are already doing to try to address the problem.
Mr Brims will be accompanied on many of his official duties by his wife Patricia, who is chairman of governors at Brimpton Primary School.
High Sheriffs receive no remuneration and no part of the expense of a High Sheriff's year falls to the taxpayer.
Mr Brims' formal investiture will take place on April 16 next year, when he takes over from the current holder, Robert Woods, of Frilsham.
Mr Brims will swear an oath in front of a High Court judge and the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire in order to carry out his duties.